Padres Rookie Jackson Merrill Leading MLB in Impressive Offensive Category

Eva Geitheim | Apr 24, 2024

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Padres rookie outfielder Jackson Merrill continues to set himself apart in his first major league season. Merrill has become of baseball's best batters on the road, leading all of MLB in batting average (.467) away from home. He's already racked up four hits in two games on the Padres' current road trip.

Overall, Merrill has a .329 average with a .394 on-base percentage. His average ranks 10th in MLB, and leads a Padres team led by several big-name stars. Merrill also has one home run and 10 RBIs on the season.

“That’s an impressive stat,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said of Merrill, via Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Really impressive, actually. It speaks to what we’ve said and what he does. He just plays the game, plays according to the situation.”

Merrill has been great adapting to how he's needed by the Padres. A shortstop in the minor leagues and his amateur career, Merrill quickly converted to playing center and left field in spring training to fill a weak spot on San Diego's depth chart.

Merrill became the fourth player under 21 to make an opening-day start in center field since 1969 after Atlanta’s Andruw Jones in 1998, Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989 and 1990 and Montreal’s Don Hahn in 1969.

Now, he's proven to be one of the Padres' most reliable players in the lineup, as well.

Of the Padres players who have taken at least 40 at-bats this season, Merrill is the only one hitting above .300. Luis Campusano is second with a .288 average and Jurickson Profar is third with a .275 average.